Union environment and forest minister Prakash Javedekar here on Saturday announced that his ministry would raise a Special Rhino Protection Force in Assam to protect the animal from poaching, besides forming a task force to probe the encroachment of forest land.
Informing that the Central government will provide fund for the proposed protection force, Mr Javedekar told reporters, “This year alone, 22 rhinos have been killed in the state. We will have zero tolerance for rhino poaching.”
Pointing out that local youths will be recruited in the protection force as they will be knowing the area and animal, the Union minister, however, said that the state government was also trying to protect the animals at their level. He said that 22 rhinos had been killed this year, while 24 poachers were arrested and 20 others lost their lives in encounters with security forces.
Mr Javedekar, who was here on a two-day visit of Assam to discuss rhino poaching and encroachment of forest land in Kaziranga National Park, said, “”I have told the state government that if there is any encroachment, then enquire into it and take necessary action. In the next six months, we will evaluate the work done by the Centre and the state.”
On the CBI probe, Mr Javadekar announced that he would enquire about the progress of the investigation and request the investigating agency to put it on fast-track and consider adding one or two more cases of rhino killing into the probe.
Appreciating the work done in protecting the one-horned rhino, Mr Javadekar, “We believe in development with protection of environment and both have to go together. We cannot have development without the environment.”